A resident of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, allegedly a member of a non-existent organization, is being held in solitary confinement

Rustam Kurmanov, a resident of Kabardino-Balkaria, has been held in solitary confinement in Nalchik's Pretrial Detention Center No. 1 since July 10. His wife, Asiyat Gaboeva, reported this, expressing concern about the deterioration of his physical and mental health.

According to Gaboeva, the reasons for his placement in solitary confinement have not been explained. Kurmanov was accused of participating in an extremist organization (Part 2, Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code) called At-Takfir wal-Hijra.

He previously worked in Moscow, but in 2022 he returned to the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic to care for his elderly parents and took up farming.

A number of extremism experts have questioned the existence of the organization At-Takfir wal-Hijra. In particular, human rights activist Vitaly Ponomarev stated that there is no convincing evidence of its activities either in Russia or abroad.

"There are no hidden audio or video recordings in known criminal cases in Russia that mention this name. Nowhere is it indicated that the organization has membership, a membership procedure, a clear hierarchy, or a leader," the human rights activist noted.

Последние новости
Solovyov removed from airwaves after calls for
Politics
Solovyov removed from airwaves after calls for "SVO" in Armenia and Central Asia
15 January 2026

Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov has been noticeably less active on air recently. His evening show on the Rossiya-1 channel is temporarily absent, and his morning broadcasts on Komsomolskaya Pravda radio are now hosted by others. The reasons for this disappearance are being actively discussed online.

The Politkovskaya-Soldin Prize for Journalistic Courage was awarded to an Azerbaijani investigative reporter currently behind bars
Human rights
The Politkovskaya-Soldin Prize for Journalistic Courage was awarded to an Azerbaijani investigative reporter currently behind bars
15 January 2026

On the evening of January 14, the Anna Politkovskaya-Armand Soldin Prize ceremony took place in Lille. The awards ceremony took place at the ESJ Lille School of Journalism, the oldest journalism school in France.

Armenian Prime Minister Responds to Iranian Criticism
Politics
Armenian Prime Minister Responds to Iranian Criticism
15 January 2026

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan responded to the Iranian Ambassador's concerns about Yerevan's possible anti-Iranian bias. He stated that the Armenian government will take all necessary steps to address any concerns Tehran may have. Pashinyan emphasized that Armenia will consistently work to maintain friendly relations with Iran and allay any concerns.

Ramzan Kadyrov has denied rumors of health problems three times in recent days
Politics
Ramzan Kadyrov has denied rumors of health problems three times in recent days
15 January 2026

Over the past three days, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has denied reports of health problems three times. He called the circulated information "fake news" and stated that he does not require hospitalization or medical attention.